Emily felt as if the sun had moved a million miles closer and she was burning from the heat. It was more words than her father had spoken to her in a lifetime, and this was what he said? It was honest and raw, and if she hadn’t been sitting on the fence, she would have crumpled to the ground from the burden of it.
“I’m sorry, Dad. I really am. I never meant to hurt you, and honestly, by the time I left with Nick, I didn’t really think you’d care. I thought it might be a relief.”
He turned to look at her, actually appearing surprised. “A relief? To know you were out there where I couldn’t protect you? That was my job.” He pointed to his chest. “I promised your mother I’d take care of you, and then I didn’t. I couldn’t because you’d left. All those times you got in trouble growing up, that’s all I was trying to do. Keep you safe. It was the only part of being a parent that I thought I might be any good at.” He scoffed and turned to stare forward again. “I didn’t do very well by you, though, did I? And now it seems I haven’t done too well by your sister either. She’s going to take off with that Taggert fellow, and it’ll be years before I see her again, too.”
Emily felt tears scalding her eyes. This was so much more than she’d bargained for when she’d climbed up this hill with a snow cone. She’d seen things from her own side and never thought much about his. The pattern of his disapproval was so ingrained during her teenage years, and she never thought there could be more to it. But now she was a parent herself, and she understood the inherent fear that came with it. The constant worry that never fully went away. The need to protect your child at all costs.
“I don’t know what to say, Dad, other than to tell you I wish with all my heart that I could go back and fix the stuff I broke. Running away was a mistake. Nick was a mistake, but Chloe is my everything, and I don’t ever want her to wonder if I regret having her, because I don’t. We can’t change what’s behind us, but if you want to, maybe we can turn in a new direction for the future?”
He pressed his lips together, and Emily could see he was actually choked up. Emotion under all that gruff exterior. Finally, he nodded. “She’s a good kid, Emily. You’ve done all right. You might be better at this parenting thing than I was.”
Did Harlan Callaghan just admit to a flaw?
“I know I’ve made mistakes,” he said, “but all I know now is that I don’t want to drive Lilly away like I did with you.”
Emily thought about patting him on the back, but it just seemed like too much. She didn’t want to overwhelm him, so she kept her hands on the fence. “Well, the thing about parenting, Dad, is that it’s for life, so you might not get a do-over, but that doesn’t mean you stop trying. It’s up to you to decide how to handle things with Lilly. As for me, you’re stuck with me, too, so if you want to try to salvage something, I’m willing to try. That’s why I’m here.”
“Here on this hill, or here on this island?”
“Both, I guess.”
He looked over at her and then reached up and patted her knee, and she almost fell off the fence from that robust demonstration of his affection. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said.
Her heart bloomed like a lilac in the spring sunshine because that was as much of a declaration of love as she might have ever hoped for.
“I’m glad I’m here, too, Dad. On the island and right here on this hill with you.”
Chapter 27
“Hey there, Peachy-keen! Happy Independence Day,” said Gloria Persimmons, waving enthusiastically.
Emily and her dad had come down the hill together soon after their conversation ended. He’d gone off to find Judge Murphy and Father O’Reilly, probably so they could reminisce about the good old days when they were the ones causing trouble, and Emily had made her way toward Ryan. Now they were sitting at a picnic table watching Tiny, Garth, and a handful of other guys competing against each other in a pie-eating contest. For a skinny guy, Garth sure could snarf down a banana cream.
Emily looked up at Gloria’s call and struggled to maintain her composure. Her friend was decked out head to toe in a stars-and-stripes ensemble that Uncle Sam would have considered too patriotic, from her red sparkly tennis shoes all the way up to the miniature flags sticking out from each ponytail. That was some outfit. Tiny stood next to her using the world’s biggest, sturdiest crutches because of his sprained ankle.
“Same to you, Gloria. Tiny, how’s that ankle?” Emily said.
“Not so bad. I’ve got Glo-Glo here to help me forget about the pain. She’s my angel.”
Gloria giggled and bumped against him, nearly knocking him off his crutches in her enthusiasm, but just as quickly wrapped her arms around his middle to catch him.
“And you’re my naughty devil.”
He beamed at Emily over the top of Gloria’s head and mouthed the words thank you.
Emily smiled back, but her mind was uttering Glo-Glo? One square dance and they were already to the pet-name stage? What was it with people these days? Tag and Lilly falling hard and fast. Kevin and Jewel falling even faster. And now Tiny and Gloria? Was she the only one with any sense of caution? Then Ryan pressed his thigh against hers underneath the table, and she realized she was just as susceptible as the rest of them.
It was wonderful and terrible at the same time. Wonderful because it felt so damn good to experience the rush and the tumble of a new romance. Wonderful because Ryan was everything she would look for in a partner. Smart, funny, handsome, generous. Sexy. And did she mention sexy? But it was terrible, too. Because Tag and Lilly were still going strong, and if the four of them continued on, good heavens, their family tree could end up more gnarled and twisted than that one-hundred-year-old lilac tree down the hill from Gigi’s cottage. What if Tag and Lilly had a son? It would be Ryan’s half brother and Emily’s nephew. And what if things continued on with Ryan and Emily and one day they had a son? He would be Tag’s grandson and Lilly’s nephew. And how would those two kids be related to each other? It was all just a little too Greek tragedy for her, and all things considered, they might actually be breaking laws in some states.
Then, of course, there was the not-so-little matter of geography. Emily was very seriously considering moving back home to the island, and Ryan would go home to Sacramento. Too far apart to be workable. There was Chloe to consider, too, of course, but she’d been thoroughly Team Ryan for weeks, so somehow Emily didn’t think she’d mind.
So many things to consider, so many angles to look at this from, but today was Independence Day, and tonight there would be fireworks. Fireworks of all sorts, she hoped.
“So, guess what?” she whispered to Ryan after Gloria and Tiny had ambled away.
“What?”
“Chloe is sleeping at Brooke’s house, so I’m completely kid-free for the entire night.”
“Are you now?” He lowered his sunglasses to peer at her.
“Yes, and guess what else?” She was already enjoying this.
“What?” he asked, his voice husky with anticipation.